A community of support for healthy eating

After work today (no, I didn't do needed gardening or chores), I realized that Project Hail Mary is available to purchase online. I bought it here on YouTube and watched it again, on the small screen this time. It's still a great movie. I understand that it's earning great revenue, so ideally it means that many people were also impressed by its hopeful version of our best selves and our life out there among the stars, where we have new friends awaiting us.

I also watched this video about a fascinating science topic. I already knew a tiny bit about chemical polymorphs, since that's basically where prion diseases come from. I had no idea, however, that even small molecules have solid forms with multiple polymorphs. This video goes into fascinating history and details of polymorphs for yummy chocolate and for catholic pipe organs made of tin... all while explaining the story of the HIV drug ritonavir that almost ceased production in 1998, because a new and useless-for-treatment polymorph suddenly started forming in drug factories around the world. It's a fascinating story, if you've got 33 minutes to spare for the video.

I haven't made any great gluten-free version of a blooming onion, which is yummy to eat. Today, though, I also watched this video (just 5 minutes long) with a seemingly easy-to-prepare onion alternative that looks delicious. I need to give it a try someday. I wonder what I can use to replace the slice of bacon.

Considering my age, I think it's safe to claim that I spent the majority of my life sleeping on a mattress on the floor. I disliked most bedframes and mattress supports because they produce minor vibrations or sounds with every turn in bed. I'm now on a bedframe for the first time in decades. I can recommend the Thuma brand of bedframe now. If you get one, then I recommend splurging to get the headboard at the same time as the frame. I purchased my headboard several months after the frame, after I was sure that I liked the brand and thought it justified to spend more money on it. I got the classic bedframe (Twin XL size, espresso color), now with headboard and two drawers.

It has also been my rule for life that I don't buy stuff that I cannot move on my own. This furniture is right at the limit of what I can move today. I had a hard time hauling everything upstairs, but I managed it without creating any new marks on the drywall. I also put the headboard posts on backwards, so I had to partially take apart the bed a second time to put it on the right direction. All done. It took me an hour and a half after work today. I'm tired, but done. And I like it. :)

Completely unrelated, but I'm considering playing Starfield again. I checked on Steam, and I had only 41 hours in it before giving up, last played on 2023 November 2. After the very lackluster launch, the game developer Bethesda hasn't made all of the improvements yet that the game needs for a redemption like No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk 2077. It has, however, continued to make improvements that players want, and it rolled out some of them for free to help players. I think that's a commendable effort, so I may give it another try soon. I'm watching YouTube videos from other players trying to pick up some useful tips before I begin.

I saw this meme making the rounds. I thought I'd share it too.

Text: "Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you. Reminder: Luke, Han, and Leia were antifa."

I'm antifa, and you should be too.

And if you wonder why you should be, then Ruth Ben-Ghiat explains here (YouTube, 45 minute) some context of what's happening now. She's another USA historian, less well known than the ones I keep recommending, but she talks here about her New York Times guest essay from February 1st, "History Shows Trump’s Worst Impulses May Backfire on Him".